THE KUNG FU MASTER FROM FAT SAN (1981) CAST Liu Leung Wai BACKGROUND "The Kung Fu Master of Fat San", is based on a true story of first master of the Wing Chun school. The story also covers the events of that period also such as, the "Red Flower Society" rebellion. The TVB Serial is 20 episodes long. Kwan Hoi San played Master Leung the founder of the Wing Chun Kung Fu school. Liu Leung Wai, plays Chun Wai Sun, who is the son of a banker in Fat San. He is also a scholar who later becomes the student of Wing Chun's first Master Leung. Wong Yat Wah, plays Lee Mun Mo, a wanted man and the leader of "Red Flower Society", who wants to re-establish the Ming Dynasty. Au Yeung Pai San, plays the lover of Lee Mun Mo, Tip Yin Chow. However their relationship has a very tragic ending. Yeung Pan Pan plays one of master Leung's students at Wing Chun, called Ah Lam. HISTORY This story is set during the rule of Ching Emperor Chow Ming. The Ching Dynasty lasted from 1644 AD to 1912 AD. During Chow Ming's rule China had hit an economic crisis and many people were starving or working hard labor for minimal pay. The government had failed to look after the welfare of the people. "The Red Flower Society", seized upon this opportunity to rally support from other Rebel groups in the country to form a Rebellion against the Ching Dynasty and attempt to restore the Ming Dynasty. SERIES REVIEW SUMMARY General Yit Ming Sum, was traveling through the town square of the nation's capital, when an assassin comes out of no where to attempts to kill him. Yit Ming Sum's bodyguard does a good job of protecting their general. The hitman's attempt to kill Yit Ming Sum was unsuccessful, and is wounded by Yit Ming Sum's bodyguard during the combat. He makes a hastily retreat, going along the rooftop. Meanwhile Chun Wai Sun, a scholar, is wandering around town. He was in the process of heading back home to Fat San, to take an examination. His ambition is to one day become a politician. Although a scholar Chun Wai Sun, is not a very wise man, and is easily tricked by a theft and looses all his money. Having realized this Chun Wai Sun decides to give chase, but is bashed up by a gang in the process. However they decide to let him go. Without money, Chun Wai Sun, wonders around the streets until he finally finds an old mill where he could rest for the night. Upon entering the mill he was struck down from behind, by the hitman. Seeing that the hitman was injured Chan Wai Sun decides to give him some medicine to help kill the pain. The hitman then realized that Chan Wai Sun, is a good-natured man and decides to give him some money in return so that he, could head home. Meanwhile, a monk from Tibet, called Bar Ngar arrives to help Yit Ming Sum. The King gives Bar Ngar jurisdiction to handle all matters over Yit Ming Sum. Instead of collaborating with each other to get rid of the Rebels, Bar Ngar and Yit Ming Sum attempt to make life difficult for the other. In the morning, the wounded man and Chun Wai Sun, were in the process of catching a boat, when Bar Ngar arrives on the scene. Bar Ngar attempts to catch the wounded man, and they fight. Chun Wai Sun, has no idea what's going on and decides to help the wounded man fight Bar Ngar. The wounded man uses this distraction and escapes. Chun Wai Sun is captured and taken back for questioning. Chun Wai Sun, is beaten and tortured, by Yit Ming Sum. He is also poisoned by Yit Ming Sum's bodyguard before being released by Bar Ngar, who want's to use him as a lead to locate the rest of the Rebels. Bar Ngar's henchmen, Mar Yi Sing Sang follows Chun Wai Sun to Fat San. Without money, Chun Wai Sun, is forced to go to the beggars hideout to get food. The beggars discover that he is not one of them and decide to beat him up also. Luckily for Chun Wai Sun, Master Leung and his students come by and saves him. The leader of the beggars is no match for Master Leung's second student, Mo Yun Wah. Chun Wai Sun is then taken back to Master Leung's kung fu school, where he is healed. Meanwhile, Lee Mun Mo (the hitman), goes back to the theater to hide until things calm down. Infact he uses the theater to conduct his plans of Rebellion, against the Ching Dynasty. In the meantime Beggar Hung, comes by to create trouble for Master Leung. Beggar Hung knows Shaolin lance and defeats all of Master Leung's students, Piggy Gwai, Mo Yun Wah, and Ah Lam. However Beggar Hung is no match for Master Leung who uses his smoking pipe to defeat him. Having been defeated Beggar Hung, kneels down and begs Master Leung to accept him as a student so he can learn the Lance. Master Leung refuse to accept and Beggar hung is left kneeling infront of the school for days. A few evenings later Master Leung decides to teach beggar Hung his Shaolin Lance, as an unofficial student, seeing that his other students do not have the ability to learn it. After recovering from his injuries, Chun Wai Sun returns home. He is the only son of Fat San's banker. Upon returning home Chun Wai Sun, puts all his efforts into studying for the up coming exam, so that he could become a politician of some sort. His mother constantly nags him, therefore he decides to find a peaceful place to study, which is Shaolin. There he meets Tip Yin Chow, who is the daughter of a rich Manchu merchant in town. They had met earlier when, Piggy Gwai, created a scene in the restaurant, not wanting to pay for his meal. Tip Yin Chow is at Shaolin because she's avoiding being forced to marry the local magistrate by her brother. At once Chun Wai Sun falls in love with Tip Yin Chow. However by the time he gathers enough courage to write a letter to her to make his feelings, known Tip Yin Chow had already left. He runs through town to search for her, and bumps into Lee Mun Mo. He was disgusted at first, because Lee Mun Mo had caused so much trouble for him. But they become good friends after clearing the misunderstanding. During the exams a student captures a magistrate, because there are illegal people sitting the exams for the sons of rich people. Clearly the exam is bribed. Yit Ming sum, personally comes to sort the problem out and captures the student who was holding up the proceedings. Chun Wai Sun, is expelled from the exams by Yit Ming Sum, because he is thought to be a Rebel. After this Chun Wai Sun decides to ask Master Leung to accept him as a student, so he can learn kung fu to get revenge and to protect himself. At first master Leung would not accept because, Chun Wai Sun, only wanted to learn kung fu to get revenge. He is accepted as a student later. During this time Bar Ngar, creates trouble in Fat San, and wants to challenge Master Leung to a fight. At first Master Leung refuses, but later is left with no choice when Bar Ngar closes all of the kung fu schools by taking their signs. They meet and duel on the beach, but Master Leung easily beats and heavily injures Bar Ngar. He retreats and goes back to the country capital to recover. At this point Yit Ming Sum, makes a deal with an English General, and sends him to Fat San to make guns and to keep an eye on Rebel activity. The English General and his army are very arrogant and creates a lot of trouble in Fat San. Piggy Gwai and Chun Wai Sun makes a lot of trouble with him also. At this point Chun Wai Sun, decides to chase after Tip Yin Chow. Ah Lam helps Chun Wai Sun, to arrange a meeting, at the theater, in which Lee Mun Mo is the main actor in the show. Lee Mun Mo's activities are closely followed by Bar Ngar, and on this occasion one of Lee Mun Mo's henchmen makes a mistake and leaves a few clues. Bar Ngar follows the trail of clues to the theater. At the theater Chun Wai Sun, sits with Tip Yin Chow, but he has nothing good or impressive to say. At once Bar Ngar spots Chun Wai Sun, and attempts to capture him. With the help of his classmates Chun Wai Sun manages to escape. Lee Mun Mo was also on the run, and along the way he runs into the carriage carrying Tip Yin Chow. Lee Mun Mo also falls heads over hill over Tip Yin Chow at first sight. The next day Lee Mun Mo, pretends to be one of Tip Yin Chow's servants so that he could see her. While dressed as a servant, Lee Mun Mo, follows Tip Yin Chow to the temple. Tip Yin Chow, was seeking spiritual advice about her future husband. Lee Mun Mo then decided to pay the priest some money so that he could take over the post. Lee Mun Mo, gives advice on Tip Yin Chow's wish and tells her that she's going to marry real soon to a hero and a handsome man. However he lets his guard down and Tip Yin Chow was able to tell that he was the actor Lee Mun Mo. He decides to tell Tip Yin Chow that the man he was talking about is himself. Tip Yin Chow smiles and accepts Lee Mun Mo's love. With the help of her servant, Tip Yin Chow arranges to meet Lee Mun Mo secretly. This is because, Tip Yin Chow's old man would never approve of an Han actor like Lee Mun Mo. Also Lee Mun Mo's, master also hates Manchurian people, and would not approve of the relationship either. Lee Mun Mo tells his master that he would give up everything to be with Tip Yin Chow, including his plans of Rebellion. Tip Yin Chow would also give up everything to be with Lee Mun Mo also and therefore they are a perfect match. Chun Wai Sun is the first one to discover that Lee Mun Mo is secretly meeting with Tip Yin Chow. Although he also loves Tip Yin Chow, Chun Wai Sun decides to give up on her, realizing that she is in love with Lee Mun Mo. Later their affair is discovered by her brother. Tip Yin Chow's old man refuses to agree to the marriage between her daughter and Lee Mun Mo, and kicks him out of the house. Lee Mun Mo looses his focus and grasp on life and spends the rest of the days drinking in the streets and acting like a beggar, hiding from all those who care about him. During this time Mo Yun Wah, decides to get revenge on the English General who killed his farther. After being taught cloth lance, by Master Leung, Mo Yun Wah, goes and duels with the General. At first the General was winning and cuts Mo Yun Wah's wooden lance to bits. However Mo Yun Wah, uses his belt and forms a cloth lance and is able to wrestle the General's sword free. The General then uses his gun and shoots Mo Yun Wai in the chest. Upon going over to see whether Mo Yun Wah is dead, the General was stabbed with his sword by Mo Yun Wah and dies. Mo Yun Wah is then sent to one of Master Leung's Master's to hide until things cool down. Later Chun Wai Sun sets out to find Lee Mun Mo, because a lover of Beggar Hung had sacrificed herself, for the Rebel cause. They find Lee Mun Mo, but he attempts to run away from them. However once Lee Mun Mo is told of the sacrifice, he wakes up and regains his motivation and focus on life again. He decides to put all his energy into the Rebel cause. By this time Tip Yin Chow's farther and agree to allow his daughter to marry Lee Mun Mo. However when she tells Lee Mun Mo, of her father's change of heart Lee Mun Mo, refuses to marry her. Tip Yin Chow , breaks down and becomes sick. By this time only the Rebel cause had any meaning to Lee Mun Mo. But despite this Tip Yin Chow was still deeply in love with him. Beggar Hung also joins, "The Red Flower Society", and he convinces all of the other beggars to join as well. With their help Lee Mun Mo was able to push the Ching soldiers out of Fat San. Chun Wai Sun was impressed by this and thinks that they are becoming further apart, because Lee Mun Mo is a true hero. Upon seizing Fat Sun, Lee Mun Mo, promises the people a better and more peaceful future. Unknown to him the leader of the beggar has no intentions of peace. He goes on a loot and kills and rapes most of the Manchurian citizens, and takes their money. The beggars also killed Tip Yin Chow's old man. When Lee Mun Mo finds out he is unimpressed and warns the beggars to behave. After this success Lee Mun Mo takes his men to attack Canton. By this time Bar Ngar and Yit Ming Sum combine their forces to deal with Lee Mun Mo's Rebels. Bar Ngar also buys cannons from the English merchant, who had doubled crossed Lee Mun Mo. At the same time Yit Ming Sum sends soldiers to Fat San, and recaptures it from the Rebels. Out numbered and with no guns to fight with the cannons, the leader of the beggars takes his men and run. Lee Mun Mo's henchmen's attempts to steal guns is foiled, and is captured by Bar Ngar. With only four loyal Rebels left by his side, Lee Mun Mo sets out to invade Canton, and at the same time save his friend. Outnumbered, and unable to beat Bar Ngar all of his loyal men including Beggar Hung dies. Lee Mun Mo, is knocked over the castle wall, and appears to have died. When news gets out that Lee Mun Mo is dead Tip Yin Chow becomes very upset, and won't see anyone for days. Chun Wai Sun decides to set out to look for Lee Mun Mo's body so that Tip Yin Chow can bury him. However he discovers Lee Mun Mo, hiding in the same old mill where they had first met. Lee Mun Mo goes back to Fat San with Chun Wai Sun. He then hides out at Tip Yin Chow's old house so the two can spend time with each other. Meanwhile Bar Ngar, comes back to Fat San, on one hand to capture Lee Mun Mo, but his main motive is to kill Master Leung. He decides to burn down Master Leung's, two Master's Theater. The two Master's ask Master Leung to get revenge for them. However unknown to Master Leung, Bar Ngar was well prepared with traps. While fighting with Bar Ngar Master Leung steps on a trap and falls down into a net and is speared to death by Ching Soldiers. Mo Yun Wah and Ah Lam arrives too late to save Master Leung. Bar Ngar also kills Mo Yun Wah but Ah Lam is able to escape. Chun Wai Sun and Piggy Gwai got captured by Bar Ngar, who asks them to give him the location of Lee Mun Mo, within 3 days. They refuse and are both locked up. Lee Mun Mo hears of the news from Ah Lam, and decides to rescue them. He captures Yit Ming Sum, and forces him to let Chun Wai Sun and Piggy Gwai go. Lee Mun Mo decides to give himself in. Chun Wai Sun, decides that Lee Mun Mo must live in order to save China from suffering, and sets out in return to rescue him. Lee Mun Mo refuses to leave, and is killed within days. He dies for a cause that he truly believes in and is certain that his sacrifice and blood is not wasted. In the meantime, Yit Ming Sum and Bar Ngar have a fall out because, Yit Ming Sum had collaborated against him. Bar Ngar sets out to report this to the King. however Yit Ming Sum wanted to use Chun Wai Sun, to kill Bar Ngar and sends information to Chun Wai Sun about the location of Bar Ngar. During this time Tip Yin Chow, forces herself to love Chun Wai Sun. But he avoids her also because he is only worried about learning kung fu to get revenge for Master Leung. Before the duel Tip Yin Chow begs Chun Wai Sun to run away with her, and not to worry about getting revenge. Naturally Chun Wai Sun refuses. The next day at the same time that Chun Wai Sun was fighting with Bar Ngar, Tip Yin Chun goes to a temple and becomes a priestess. Chun Wai Sun ends up defeating Bar Ngar and kills him after a hard fought battle. He is exhausted and falls down besides Bar Ngar. At this time Yit Ming Sum and his bodyguard comes by to congratulate Chun Wai Sun and leaves. Only then did Chun Wai Sun realized that he was being used to do Yit Ming Sum's dirty work. His revenge now becomes meaningless, and he sets out to find Tip Yin Chow. By the time he locates her it is too late she has become a priestess. Chun Wai Sun then leaves the temple and decides to rebuild, Master Leung's Wing Chun Kung Fu School. RATING (7) This is definitely one of the better TVB Series that I have watched. The plot is interesting even though, Lee Mun Mo, dies and Tip Yin Chow becomes a priestess. After all in history not all heroes live. What sets this TVB Series apart from other Series is a very refreshing plot. The two friends do not fight over the same women even though they are both in love with her. The good guys also don't really win in the end either. This story is therefore a true reflections of the time and the period in which it was set. Some people would probably prefer stories that have happier endings, however I tend to enjoy watching different TVB Series that have a different ending each time. The cast and the acting in this series was superb, and every actor played their part to perfection. Yeung Pan Pan, is as always really good as Ah Lam. Au Yeung Pai San was also good in her role as Tip Yin Chow. Liu Leung Wai was also good as Chun Wai Sun. His physical build also makes him appropriate for the role. The costumes, sets and theme songs used for this TVB Serial was also good. TVB also made a good attempt to make the English characters look English. What did let this series down was the number of flat spots appearing in it. For example Tip Yin Chow's brother trying to arrange her marriage. Chun Wai Sun getting beaten up at the beginning. What was the purpose of keeping, the face of Mar Yee Sin Sang a secret for a couple of episodes before revealing it? The two old men hating each other thing has been done to death by TVB. But this Series is worth watching, and deserves a 7 out of 10. WONG YAT WAH AS LEE MUN MO In this Series Wong Yat Wah was yet again able to demonstrate what a versatile actor he was. The role of Lee Mun Mo is very tricky. The character Lee Mun Mo is very ambitious, purposeful, driven, cunning, and charming. Ambitious in terms of the fact that with lack of manpower and weapons, he strives to drive out the Ching Dynasty and restore Ming. Driven and Purposeful, is that he strives to achieve and goal, and would die for what he believes in. Cunning in his ability to avoid being caught by both Bar Ngar and Yit Ming Sum. Charming? Yes charming because he was able to think of a plan to get closer to Tip Yin Chow and was able to win her heart over Chun Wai Sun. I must admit this is one of the rare occasions that Wong Yat Wah got to play a charmer. Yet again it was a top-notch performance by Wong Yat Wah. He seems to be one of the few very multitalented actors, who can play a variety of roles in the 1980's and 1990's. Credit also has to be given to the rest of the cast for putting on yet another entertaining show. CREDITS KangKang's
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